Federal Highway Administration National Dialogue on Highway Automation: June 7, 2018 Launch Workshop Summary
Breakout Session I: Issues and Challenges
This section summarizes the discussion from breakout session 1. During this session, participants were asked the following questions:
- In addition to the five National Dialogue focus areas, what additional topics or questions should be covered?
- From your perspective, what is the biggest challenge for enabling automated vehicles on roadways?
Public Education and Outreach
Supporting public adoption of AVs will require a coordinated effort among the public and private sectors to spread consistent and accurate information to all road users. Public education and outreach efforts can help manage expectations, inform appropriate use, and build public confidence in automation technology. Participants expressed the need for clearly explaining the deployment timeline and capabilities of automated vehicle technologies. This can help stakeholders consider the implications of automation for consumers, public agencies, and technology developers. Participants believed that FHWA has a role in conducting education and outreach to its stakeholders (e.g., State and local agencies) and the general public. Some suggested that more communication with elected officials at the State and Federal levels could foster national consistency in messaging and support a full understanding of the issues around automation. Lastly, participants suggested that FHWA could share lessons learned to inform pilot testing and create educational materials for a wider audience.
Infrastructure Funding
Workshop participants discussed the need for information about funding for infrastructure that supports automated vehicles. This could reduce confusion by clarifying funding eligibility, priorities, and procurement rules. Some suggested that Federal oversight of funding for projects and initiatives could help prevent the duplication of investments on a local level. Another major concern was maintenance of roadways and its implications for AVs. Improving the conditions of the current roadway infrastructure (e.g., pavement quality, lane markings, signage) may support automated vehicle operations on the roadways, therefore stakeholders were eager to understand the maintenance needs and potential funding resources available. Participants acknowledged a potential need to balance funding for maintenance with new infrastructure projects to support automated vehicles. They recommended exploring the eligibilities within existing FHWA programs, such as the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program and Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), to support the needs.
As automated vehicles become more widely adopted, some participants suggested that funding shift from a system of competitive grants to dedicated funding. Others encouraged finding innovative funding mechanisms, such as funding challenges or competitions, establishing collaborative projects, or developing educational initiatives.
Cybersecurity and Privacy
Cybersecurity threats, such as network disruptions, spoofing attacks, and denial-of-service attacks, create significant concerns about the safety and security of AVs. Participants recommended working closely with the automotive and telecommunications sectors to support cybersecurity in AVs. There was concern around AVs creating a stream of information about an individual's travel choices. Other questions raised in the discussion also involved data security, including what type of data will be collected, how it will be used, who has access to the data, and how it will be protected.
Liability
There is uncertainty regarding the nature of insurance and liability. Participants suggested that liability may shift toward automotive manufacturers and questioned the implications for technology adoption. In addition, legal structures will need to be in place to determine liability allocation in crashes involving AVs. States, which are the primary regulators of insurance, will need to address this challenge and may desire guidance from FHWA.
